Where to start with this game, it will take you through the full gambit of all the gaming emotions from the beautifully stunning wow moments to the darn right hideously ugly moments. From the wow this is a brilliant game to the this game is terrible, it’s simply broken and everything in between. When its good its very good but when its bad its really really bad.
So lets start at the beginning, Sniper Ghost Warrior has been on the horizon for a long time promising ultra realistic graphics and ultra realistic living environments which effect your shot. The wind and gravity all have an effect of your bullet trajectory and for the most part it does deliver on what it promises but that’s not enough for a good game. You need a solid story, good voice work, well laid out maps, clever AI and glitch free movements. This its not so good at.
The story is set on a fictional island the current US friendly government has been over thrown by a hostile military regime and you are dropped on to the island to bring order back. For the majority of the game you play the part of the sniper but it doesn’t just stick to sniping missions. It breaks up the sniping with some standard FPS levels and some where you play the spotter selecting the targets but mainly you are the sniper.
The island does deserve a special mention it does look stunning. I would go as far as saying its some of the best graphics I’ve seen this generation. It starts to be let down by the use of light and rain. Both mess with the environment as sunlight comes through the trees it often just causes things around you to look jagged and when the rain is hitting the ground it ruins the back ground causing it to distort and at times will look like something from a youtube video. But the level of detail in the game is impressive.
But while the look of the game is amazing the gameplay is pretty shocking, simply moving around crouched or prone (which plays a big part in sniping) can be a tortuous affair. Something as simple a 6 inch step can stop you dead in your tracks. Moving up stairs have to be met straight on or you will get stuck when you are trying to sneak in a door this makes it impossible. In fact you get stuck in a lot rocks, bushes, trees, tiny fences etc. Sometimes the only way to get over a tiny step is to actually jump and in a game this unforgiving for giving away your location to the enemy having to jump is beyond the joke. Sticking to the main area of the levels does limit it but half the fun of sniping games is to pick your own route but you are pretty limited to where you can go in the levels.
The AI is all over the place, from guys that spot you in a second giving away your location. To guys not noticing you just shot the soldier he was talking to in the head. Other environmental glitches get in the way too, often you will think you have a shot but it will mysteriously hit a car a foot away.
Now that I have touched on the problems its only fair to go through the pluses. One of the best things is the bullet cam. If you get the perfect shot you get a slow motion cinematic of the bullets path. Taking a shot that goes in one window out another and takes out an enemy sitting in wait is a wonderful feeling. Getting one of those long range headshots is very satisfying.
The story is ok and the game for the most part goes at a good pace. The odd mission where you need to use stealth can take you more than a few tries and if you are not a patient gamer then this will kill off the game for you. Hearing the siren go off for the 30th time is one of those controller smashing moments. When it’s your fault its bad enough but when you fail a mission due to poor game design it can tip you over the edge.